


Memories

by miikasaa



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-24
Updated: 2014-04-24
Packaged: 2018-01-20 14:39:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,254
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1514144
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/miikasaa/pseuds/miikasaa
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mako knows he's dying tonight- he's known it for a while. Korra doesn't know, however, and Mako wants to remember everything with her before he goes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Memories

Mako knew exactly what was going to happen that night. Six years ago, after a nasty motorcycle crash, he’d been told he had a few years left to live. His body had withstood too many nights in the cold, too many weeks without food, and far too many hits and beatings.

The doctors hadn’t know exactly how much longer Mako would survive. But the 28-year-old Firebender could tell.

He knew he was dying that night.

For the last few months he’d felt weaker, needed more breaks during work, slacked with taking care of his children, and slept in a little later in the morning. It was all leading up to tonight.

Korra didn’t know, of course, and neither did their children. He was never able to bring himself to break the news to them. How were you supposed to tell the ones you loved most that you knew you were dying?  
That morning, he’d called in sick to work. Mako wasn’t spending his last day alive filling paperwork and chasing criminals.

Korra was at a Council meeting, one that would most likely run late into the afternoon. She’d taken their six-year-old son and four-year-old daughter with her; the children always lightened the mood of the meetings as they ran through the halls and offices, throwing their elements at each other as adults tried to talk.

Mako had the day to himself. He had less than 24 hours to reflect on his life and say his goodbyes. And he knew exactly where to start.

Standing in the kitchen, Mako dialed a familiar number with the phone. The line rang a few times, and he started to worry that he’d missed his chance, but soon Asami answered, sounding tired.

“Hello?”

“Asami. It’s me, Mako.”

“Mako! Hi, how are you?”

Pleasantries were passed between the two. He asked how she and Iroh were doing with her pregnancy and their plans for Future Industries. She asked how he and Korra were doing juggling the kids and work.

But soon the easy conversation was over. The line grew silent on both ends; Asami searched for a new topic while Mako tried to figure out how to explain things.

“Asami, I just want to say thank you.”

A pause on the other end. “Thank me for what?”

“For everything. For letting our friendship last, for helping me with cases and technologies, and being there when I didn’t know how to make it through something. You’ve done a lot for me, Asami.” He took a deep breath, closing his eyes as he continued, “I love you, Asami. You’re a fantastic person and I’m so glad I’ve gotten to know you so well.”

“Mako. What’s this all about? Are you alright?”

“Please just remember that.”

“Of course. But why-”

He hung up the phone then. He loved Asami, but he couldn’t tell her exactly what was going on. She was busy with work and preparations for her first child. His funeral would come and go; there was no reason to worry her now.

Mako knew that he would call his brother next. There weren’t many people the Firebender could say goodbye to, and he wanted to hear Bolin’s voice one last time.

But first, he decided to start dinner for his family.

So he strapped on the apron Korra got him years ago as a joke, it was pink for Spirit’s sake, and started collecting ingredients for Stewed Sea Prunes, authentic Water Tribe noodles, and a few other side dishes his kids had grown to love.

As soon as the prunes were on the stove, the pastries in the oven, and the noodles cooling on the counter, Mako knew he couldn’t stall any longer. There were only a few more hours until the meeting could be over, and he didn’t want to be on the phone with Bo when his wife got home.

The Earthbender answered on the first ring, shouting a warning to someone before finally saying, “Hullo?”

“She causing you problems?”

“Mako,” Bolin laughed, and he could hear the grin in his brother’s voice. “Nah, she’s a doll. We’re still trying to teach her that she can’t finger-paint on the walls, though.”

“Have you tried giving her paper?”

“Very funny, bro.”

A confortable silence echoed from both ends of the line. It didn’t last for long, though, before Bolin could tell there was something on his brother’s mind.

“What is it, Mako?”

The Firebender smiled sadly. Even after all these years they were still so in tune with each other. “This is it, bro. Thank you for sticking by me for all of those years. I’ve never once regretted what we had to do to survive on the streets, and I love you so much. Stay strong, okay? You’re a fantastic father, and you’re going to live a great life.”

“I love you. Thanks for keeping me alive, Mako.”

Mutually, they hung up their receivers. There was nothing left for them to say.

Mako quickly wiped the back of his hands against his eyes, wiping away the tears that had begun to form. He hung up the apron with a sigh, and he was still looking at it when the door slammed open a few minutes later.

“Mako?”

“Kitchen.” He called back automatically.

His little girl ran in first, flinging herself into his open arms and nuzzling her head into his neck. “How was the meeting?” Mako asked as Ryu and Korra joined them in the kitchen.

“Boring!” Reika announced before anyone could say anything. “Jinora wouldn’t play with me and Ryu kept cheating!”

The Waterbender looked indignant. “I did not!”

Korra ruffled his hair affectionately. “Alright you two, go get washed up for dinner.”

Reika jumped from her father’s arms, chasing her older brother to the bathroom on the other side of the house. Their bickering could still be heard even after the door slammed shut.

Korra touched his shoulder lightly, pulling him in for a kiss. He let his lips linger against hers for a few extra seconds. He was going to miss this.

“What’s all this for?” The Avatar asked, gesturing to the food.

Mako shrugged, pulling the pastries from the oven and turning the heat below the prunes off. “I had time.” It wasn’t exactly a lie.

His wife kissed his cheek before swiping a prune from the bowl. “Well, thank you.”

The two young benders re-entered the room then, arguing about Probending teams and who had the worst name. The nostalgia was almost enough to stop Mako in his tracks.

Rather than fall victim to his Probending memories, Mako clapped his hands and ordered his kids to the table. He brought the food over and placed it in the middle of the table before sitting opposite his wife.

“What do we say?” Korra asked, eyeing the children.

“Thanks daddy!” Ryu and Reika chanted together before heaping food onto their plates.

His last dinner was filled with exaggerated stories about princesses and dragons, lots of reprimands for speaking with mouths full of food, and his two children bickering about absolutely nothing from across the table.

Mako couldn’t picture his last meal going any other way.

After quickly cleaning up the kitchen together, Mako and Korra each picked up a child to read to and tuck in. It was pretty late already, and although Ryu was trying to prove that he could stay up later, Reika was falling asleep in her mother’s arms.

Mako watched his son change for bed, brush his teeth, and then pick out a story. The older man read it while Ryu listened intently from his bed. All too soon, the story ended and Mako had to say goodnight.

“Sleep well, Ryu. I love you, and you’re going to have a fantastic future. Be good to your mother.” He kissed the boy’s forehead, and pushed his hair back from his eyes before leaving the room.

He met Korra in the hall. “Reika’s ready.”

“Ryu’s asleep.” He answered.

Mako walked quietly into his daughter’s room. Her golden eyes were tired, but she refused to fall asleep just yet. “Hey sweetheart,” he greeted, sitting next to her on the bed. “Did mommy already read you a story?” She nodded.

Reika took his hand and placed it on the top of her head as she lay down on her side. “Goodnight, daddy.” Mako could swear he saw a hint of understanding in her eyes.

He leaned forward to kiss her temple, stroking his fingers in her hair as he said, “Goodnight, baby. I love you, so, so much. Protect the family for me.”

“Always.” She was still watching him when he turned out the light and left the room.

Korra was already leaning against the headboard of the bed when Mako made it to their room. He was exhausted, and he could feel his body begging for him to lie down, to stop and let fate take over. But Mako wasn’t done yet.

He changed into a pair of black pants and an old white undershirt before slipping into the bed next to his wife. She snuggled up to his side, resting her head on his shoulder and slinging an arm over his chest. He wrapped an arm around her waist, holding her as close as he could.

“Remember the first day we met?”

“Of course,” Korra laughed, not very surprised by his question. “You blew me off, you jerk.”

Mako smiled. He stared up at the ceiling as he searched for the right words to use. “Yeah, yeah. A big jerkbender, right?”

“The biggest.” He could feel her yawn against his chest.

“Remember when we saved Bolin from the Equalists? Or when the Wolfbats cheated in our only Championship match?” The memories flooded his mind all at once, each one begging him to be remembered just one last time.

Korra propped her chin on his chest, and he lowered his neck to meet her eyes. “What’s gotten into you? I-”

“I just want to always remember our past,” he cut her off quickly.

She looked confused, but with a shrug of her shoulders she accepted his excuse. “What about our first real date- at the Southern Water Tribe Festival? You refused to hold my hand because you thought my dad might get angry.”

He chuckled lightly. “The first time we worked a case together.”

“Bei Fong was not happy about the damages to the city.”

“Our marriage.”

Korra laughed loudly. “We had to bar the doors so the reporters couldn’t get in. They would have loved to see Bolin’s speech while he was drunk off Cactus Juice.”

“Moving in here.”

“Ryu’s birth.”

“How mad he was when Reika was born and he couldn’t use his baby cup anymore.”

“Helping the city deal with the rogue Equalists and orphaned children.”

“Becoming Chief of Police.”

“Living with a jerk like you.”

Mako smiled sadly. Korra’s voice was drifting, her head falling heavily on his chest, and her grip on his stomach weakening.

He tilted his head forward to kiss her forehead, leaving his lips against her skin for a few extra seconds. “I love you, Korra. Thank you for saving me, for helping me, for our beautiful children, and for marrying a street rat like me. I know you’re going to continue to be a fantastic Avatar, you’ve helped so many and you’ll save even more. I love you.”

She stirred lightly against him, a small snore slipping through her lips, but she didn’t respond.

The Firebender propped a hand behind his head to stare at the ceiling again. Maybe that old rumor, about seeing your life flash before your eyes when you died, wasn’t true, but Mako had forced it to happen by reminiscing with Korra.

He could see his time on the streets with Bolin. He watched as his walls crumble when Korra forced her way into his heart. When they moved in together. When they fought dozens of battles at each other’s sides. Their fights, loud makeups, the birth of their children, and everything else he’d been blessed enough to experience- with Korra and his brother and Asami, too.

Everyone he loved had helped to shape him into who he was now, and although he was leaving tonight, he knew he wouldn’t be forgotten.

Twenty years ago, Mako could have sworn he’d die without anyone caring.

Tonight, as he felt his limbs start to lose feeling and his vision get foggy, he knew that he’d led a good life, and if he could, Mako wouldn’t change any part of it.

——-

The sun peeked through the curtains in the Avatar’s bedroom much sooner than she would have liked. But already she could hear Ryu and Reika playing downstairs. She wondered briefly how long they’d been awake.

“Mako,” Korra hummed, rubbing her fists against her eyes. “Come on, we gotta start breakfast.”

There was no response from his side of the bed.

“Mako?” She turned to face him, shoving his shoulder to wake him up. “Mako! Mako, please answer me!”

His eyes didn’t open, and she couldn’t see movement from any part of his body.

“No.” Her voice was nothing more than a whisper.

Her husband couldn’t be gone.

“Mako!” She was screeching, grasping his torso as hot, fast tears began to fall down her cheeks. They were staining the cotton of his shirt. “Please, please don’t go.”

But it was too late. The Firebender had gone to a place Korra could not retrieve him from.

Korra was still screaming when her kids came to investigate.


End file.
